ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15, 2008, ABOUT 20 MOHEGAN TRIBAL MEMBERS GATHERED FOR THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW FIRE PIT FOR THE MOHEGAN TRIBE. THE TRIBAL MEMBERS GATHERED AT FORT SHANTOK, ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF SHANTOK BROOK JUST EAST OF THE DAMN. AMONGST THE 20 MEMBERS WAS THE ENTIRE COUNCIL OF ELDERS AND TRIBAL COUNCILS. NOTICEABLY MISSING WAS FIRE KEEPER TOM "THROWS HIS HATCHET" EPPS AND CHARLIE "TWO BEARS" STRICKLAND.
THE CEREMONY STARTED AT AROUND TWELVE NOON, WITH THE TRIBAL MEMBERS PRESENT IN A CIRCLE AROUND THE NEW SACRED FIRE PIT (HEARTH). AFTER THE MEMBERS FORMED A CIRCLE, THEY WERE SMUDGED BY BOB SOPER THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS AND FIRE KEEPER JAY "TWO TREES" IHLOFF.
THEN BOB SOPER THANKED EVERYONE FOR COMING. CHAIRMAN SOPER THEN TURNED OVER THE CEREMONY TO BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM TO SAY A PRAYER. BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM THEN SAID A PRAYER AND TURNED THE ACTIVIES OVER TO JAY IHLOFF (IN HIS OWN WORDS A FIRE KEEPER IN TRAINING).
JAY IHLOFF AS HE WAS STARTING THE FIRE, TOLD THAT THERE WERE 13 STONES (ROCKS) THAT REPRESENTED 13 GENERATIONS OF MOHEGAN PEOPLE. I WAS LATER TOLD THAT THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS HAD PICKED OUT THE THIRTEEN STONES. THIRTEEN STONES WERE DIVIDED IN TO FOUR DIRECTIONS, NORTH, EAST, SOUTH AND WEST. THERE IS ONE EXTRA STONE THERE TOO, IT WAS FOR THE CREATOR. JAY EXPLAINED THAT YOU START BY FACING EAST AND GO AROUND THE FIRE TO OFFER THE FIRE TOBACCO. AFTER THE FIRE WAS GOING, EVERYONE TOOK THE TOBACCO SUPPLIED TO OFFER THE FIRE TOBACCO. THE CEREMONY THEN ENDED.
I BELIEVE, THE TRIBAL CHAIRMAN BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM SAID, THAT WHAT WAS BEING DONE WAS THE POLITICALLY CORRECT THING TO DO, AND THAT IT WAS THE PROPER PLACE FOR THE SACRED FIRES TO BE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE NEW FIRE PIT LOCATION IS SO THAT FAMILY MEMBERS CAN GO THERE ON THE DAY OF A LOVED ONES BURIAL AND SIT BY THE FIRE. THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS HAVE STATED THAT ON THE BURIAL DATE, THE SACRED FIRE WILL RUN FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET WHEN THE FIRE WILL BE ALLOWED TO GO BACK TO SLEEP.
SOME SPIRITUAL PEOPLE IN THE TRIBE BELIEVE THAT THE SACRED FIRES SHOULD START WHEN A TRIBAL MEMBER PASSES AND BE ALLOWED TO GO TO SLEEP WHEN THE LOVED ONE IS PUT TO REST. THE WAY I UNDERSTAND, THE LOVED ONES FAMILY IS SUPPOSED TO ASK THE FIRE KEEPERS TO START A SACRED FIRE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 2 CASES OF SACRED FIRES BEING STARTED WITH OUT THE LOVED ONES FAMILY REQUESTING IT. I THINK THAT IT IS NICE THAT THE FIRE KEEPERS WANT TO DO THIS WITHOUT BEING ASKED. SOME TRIBAL MEMBERS HAVE SAID THEY DO NOT LIKE THIS PRACTICE.
IN THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOTS, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY START THE SACRED FIRE BEFORE SOMEONE PASSES AND CONTINUES UNTIL THE PERSON IS LAID TO REST.
IT WAS A NICE, SIMPLE CEREMONY. IT WAS A GOOD DAY FOR MOHEGANS.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: I REALIZE THAT THIS IS A VERY SPIRTIAL SUBJECT THAT I DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT, HOWEVER I TRIED TO TELL THIS STORY THE BEST I COULD.
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1 comment:
It is too bad that more Mohegans were not able to participate and that no one thought to tell our people that this ceremony would be taking place.
Was this a ceremony for only 20 or so people or was this for a meaningful ritual for our entire Tribe?
In the end, I think that people will continue to practice their beliefs the way they have practiced them in the past, should they so choose, with or without official sanction.
Natinihak
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